There are people we meet who remind us of what is possible. Jillian Godsil is one of those people. Her life has been a tapestry of adventure and upheaval - divorce, financial loss, her home being taken, eighteen novels published, multiple awards earned, a radio show, a business lost, and most recently, a breast cancer diagnosis. And still, when she speaks about her life, there is light in her eyes. There is curiosity. There is a sense of wonder about what tomorrow might bring.
During our recent conversation, she shared a moment that has stayed with me. She told me there was a time when she had given up on life, She truly believed there was nothing more for her. The adventure felt over. The meaning had drained away. The story had reached what she thought was its final chapter. And then, as life so often does, it placed a sign in her path. A quiet message from the universe, just loud enough to hear, reminding her that there was still more to come.
And she began again.
We don’t often speak out loud about those moments, the silent surrender, the internal giving up, the belief that we are too tired, too worn out, too late to rebuild. Yet so many of us have felt it. Some of us are feeling it now. Jillian reminded me that beginning again is rarely dramatic. It is not always loud or heroic. Sometimes it looks like curiosity. Sometimes it looks like a small moment of joy in a heavy day. Sometimes it’s simply the question: What if there is more for me?
We cannot choose the circumstances life delivers to our doorstep, but we can choose how we meet them. We can soften around our pain. We can stay open to possibility. We can hold joy and difficulty side by side without asking them to cancel each other out. And we can begin again - not once, but as many times as needed.
Jillian reminded me today that life does not run out of chapters. We never get just one chance at purpose, or creativity, or love. The story continues for as long as we are willing to turn the page.
There is hope in that. There is tenderness in that. And there is always—always—a way to begin again.
Listen to the Conversation
If this message speaks to you, I invite you to listen to my podcast conversation with Jillian Godsil on The Re-Purposed Life. Her courage, honesty, and humour are powerful reminders that curiosity is a lifeline and reinvention is always available.
🎧 Listen here: The Sharon Fitzmaurice Podcast
Author Bio
Sharon Fitzmaurice is a Holistic Wellness Coach, Reiki Master Teacher & Practitioner, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Author, Speaker, Podcast Host, and Advocate for Mental Health Awareness and survivors of childhood abuse. Founder of the Soulful Journeys Online Community, Sharon supports others to reconnect with purpose, awaken their wellbeing, and live with compassion and curiosity.